1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of hand tools and, more particularly, to novel burnishing tools for smoothing or polishing a surface and for other applications requiring manipulation in the application of a substrate to an underlying surface by means of rubbing, compacting, smoothing, and/or turning an edge.
2. The Background Art
A variety of prior art spatula type devices have been developed by those skilled in the art which typically comprise a blade attached to a wood or plastic handle. The size and configuration of the blade is generally determined by the type of use for which the tool is intended (i.e., applying putty, drywall taping compound, plaster, spreading adhesives, etc.). For example, those skilled in the art developed spatula type scrapers designed to focus the scraping effort at the front of the scraper, thereby not wasting any scraping effort at the sides of the scraper. In particular, prior art spatula scrapers of this general type may comprise a sharpened front scraping edge and at least one sharpened cutting edge disposed at one end of the scraping edge. The cutting edge extends generally transverse to the scraping edge.
A significant disadvantage with spatula type scrapers of the prior art is that when applying downward pressure to the handle, scrapers tend to flex excessively at the transition between the blade and the handle wherein that general area becomes a potential point of structural failure under excessive force. In this regard, those skilled in the art developed spatula hand tools that include an integrally molded handle and blade having a reinforcing blister formed along the longitudinal axis of the tool across a transition area disposed between the handle and the blade. Specifically, the handle portion may be formed having a reduced thickness by providing a peripheral ridge that extends through the transition area between the handle and blade and onto the surface of the blade.
As appreciated, those skilled in the art also developed hand-held scrapers for removing ice and snow from windshields and the like. Typically, hand-held ice scrapers comprise a scraper blade formed at one end of the scraper providing a sharp scraping edge. Prior art ice scrapers may further include a pliable, polymeric sheath that envelops the handle portion of the scraper at the end opposite the scraping blade so as to cover about two-thirds of the linear extent of the ice scraper to serve as a protective hand grip.
Hand-held ice scrapers of the prior art may also be formed having a three-bladed squeegee/scraper/polisher insert constructed from a flat, soft blade (e.g., formed of rubber or a soft plastic), a blade of intermediate flexibility, and a blade having stiffer characteristics. Each of the individual blades may be rotatably disposed relative to the scraping end of the scraper by means of a fastener disposed in relation to a narrowed portion of the body of the ice scraper. In operation, the various blade implements can be rotated into engagement or out of the way depending on the type of precipitation to be removed.
Although several attempts have been made to address the disadvantages associated with the excessive flexibility of prior art spatula type scrapers and the various design and redesigns of prior art ice scrapers that have been developed by those skilled in the art, significant problems continue to exist when attempting to use prior art spatula type devices or ice scrapers for smoothing or polishing a surface or for other applications requiring the manipulation of a substrate in relation to an underlying surface (e.g., by means of rubbing or applying pressure to remove air bubbles between the substrate and the surface in order to accommodate a proper xe2x80x9cwet outxe2x80x9d of the substrate relative to the surface). Specifically, prior art spatulas and hand-held ice scrapers generally do not allow for the constant application of a force or pressure against a surface to achieve an adequate xe2x80x9cwet outxe2x80x9d between the substrate and the underlying surface. Because these prior art devices are usually designed with sharp, abrupt edges for scraping across a surface, when they are used for the purpose of burnishing, prior art spatula type devices and hand-held ice scrapers generally cause binding, marring, scratching, gouging, or the like in the facing of a substrate or surface to which the substrate is being applied.
To alleviate the disadvantages associated with prior art spatulas and ice scrapers being used for burnishing surfaces or in the application of a substrate to an underlying surface, those skilled in the art developed application rollers that are typically disposed in operable relation to a support frame in a rotatable relationship therewith. Although prior art application rollers generally afford meaningful advantages over traditional spatula type devices and hand-held ice scrapers, the overall effectiveness of such prior art application rollers has been questioned in view of providing limited surface area pressure against the substrate and/or underlying surface to which the substrate is being applied. Similarly, prior art application rollers are generally unable to transfer sufficient pressure and control to compound radii and/or curvatures of a substrate or the underlying surface. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide an improved burnishing tool which realizes the advantages of the various prior art scrapers while at the same time eliminating the disadvantages associated therewith. Such a burnishing tool is disclosed and claimed herein.
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel burnishing tools for smoothing, pressing, laminating, spreading, rubbing, or compacting a surface and/or for other applications that require the manipulation of a substrate in relation to an underlying surface by means of smoothing, pressing, laminating, pressing, rubbing, compacting, and/or turning an edge.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a burnishing tool which has a contoured leading edge having a soft radius that eliminates binding, marring, scratching, gouging, or the like in the facing of a surface or substrate to which the contoured leading edge of the present invention is applied.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a burnishing tool having a novel structural design for applying an even pressure or force against a substrate and underlying surface to remove air bubbles therebetween and thereby facilitate a proper adhesive xe2x80x9cwet outxe2x80x9d or bond between the substrate and the underlying surface.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a burnishing tool which comprises a configured body that fits comfortably and conveniently within the contour of a user""s hand. Specifically, the novel configuration of the burnishing tool provides sufficient surface area in the palmar region of the hand to facilitate a means for gripping the present invention with the thumb and forefinger thus using the palmar region of the hand to apply sufficient pressure in a controlled matter to the surface or substrate to which the burnishing tool is applied and over the compound radii and/or curvatures encountered.
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel burnishing tool comprising an elongated body that allows for slight flexing without memory retention.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a burnishing tool which simplifies the burnishing process and which is easy to use, economically viable, and relatively trouble free in operation.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a burnishing tool which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.
Consistent with the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a burnishing tool comprises a first end, a second opposing end, and an elongated intermediate portion disposed between the first and second ends. The intermediate portion of the burnishing tool is preferably formed having an arcuate configuration and includes a main body and a handle. The main body of the intermediate portion comprises a dimensional width greater than the dimensional width of the handle so as to fit comfortably and conveniently within the contour of the hand of a user. Specifically, the novel configuration of the burnishing tool facilitates sufficient surface area in the handle to facilitate a means for gripping the present invention and applying sufficient compression force or pressure against the main body of the intermediate portion with the thumb and forefinger of the user while using the palmar region of the hand to apply additional pressure in a controlled manner against a substrate or surface to which the main body or contoured leading edge is applied.
At the first end of the burnishing tool is a contoured leading edge. In structural design, the leading edge comprises a soft radius preferably having rounded corners to prevent binding, marring, scratching, gouging, or the like in the facing of a surface or substrate to which the leading edge is being applied. The contoured leading edge formed at the first end of the intermediate portion of the burnishing tool may also be formed having one corner of the leading edge dimensionally longer than an opposing corner of the leading edge.